Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-06-11
THE DIAMOND RING.

Yes it belonged to poor Turenne,"
said Wyse, as he pulled the ring from his
finger and handed it to us for inspection.
He left it to me by his will, and keep
it in memory of one Of the best actors and
one of the best men ever knew
Meanwhile the ring was passing from
hand to hand, and the universal verdict
was that none of us had ever seen finer
stone.
Turenne was rather a wealthy man."
said one of our little circle, but | didn't
think he could have afforded or would
have cared to spend so much money on an
ornament as that ring must have cost"
He wanted it for some special purpose
which afterwards fell through" reioined
Wyse. " know all about it, for I bought
it for him myself. had quite little adj
venture on this ocossien."
Tell us the story we cried.
Well" said Wyse, taking pull at his
cigar and settling himself back in his
chair, " it is good many years ago now. |
was playing high comedy characters at
the old Princess, and as | had been work
ing very hard | set off for the south of
France as soon as the season closed 1t
happened that Turenne (who had proved
himself a true friend to mel wanted a
good diamond for a purpose | needn't
trouble you with; and before | set out on
my travels told him that if met with a
particularly fine one at moderate price |
l.,ar- e. l. 1. l.
busy at the time to attend to the matter
himself, gladly consented. l was staying
at Nice. when there came to the hotel one
of those tall, loquacious Americans who
are now so plentiful all over Europe.
There seemed to be nothing Objectionable
about the man except that he was vulgar
and eternally talking about the United
States.
On the evening after his arrival few
of US happened to be sitting in the billiard
room, and by some chance or other the
conversation turned on the subject of dia-
monds.
"' ! don't know much about the bust
ness myself said the American, but Pm
told by good judges that that's about as
good stone as you'll see in days
round
so saying he drew a ring from his
finger and handed it to me, who happened
TO sit next him. 1t was indeed, a magni-
ticent brilliant, set in ring of peculiar
pattern. When the lamp was removed, it
seemed to gather into itself the light out
of the semi-darkness, and glittered like
bit of broken glass in the sunshine.
- What is it worth p asked one of the
men.
"'That 1 can hardly tell YOU answered
the American, seem friend at Buenos
Ayres sent it 20 me, direct and | had it
cut myself But Pm tired of it, and sell
dom wear it,
az Would you sell it % inquired, out of
curiosity.
al might, answered the American,
especially as this European trip is clean
ing me out faster than | expected and |
don't want to go home to Vermont skinned
as neatly as a cod. Yes, yes, you can have
that diamond for ESQ of your money,
stranger, and dirt cheap at that, should
say
81 looked at the stone again, and the
longer | looked at it the more | liked it.
Eighty pounds was quite as much as my
friend wished to pay for a stone, but what
if could get one for him worth e100 for
ESQ?
VIII you trade y he asked
Pm not Judge of diamonds myself
said |, returning the stone to its owner.
Pm afraid couldn't buy without taking
a lapidary's opinion as to its value.
"'All right said the American care
lessly, il rou care to hev it, we can 90
round to jewelers. in the morning. And
,f bo ,,,ts !, 1o,ra,. lao -, 81 Al
l did you can hev at the price he
names, if you like to buy. ! can't say
fairer than that
The offer did, indeed, seem a very fair
one, and ! went to bed that night deter
mined to secure the jewel for my friend if
the expert reported favorably of it.
Next morning the American and
stroled down to the shop of the chief
jeweier of the town; and when we entered
the place first of all paid my footing by
purchasing some triie, and then taking
the ring from the hand of my new ac-
quaintance, placed it before the jeweler
aud asked him to give me an opinion as to
its value
"'A YER fine stone, sir, said the French
man. congratulate you on the posses
sion Of 50 fine diamond
g. II is not mine; it belongs to my friend
here
"'Ahi if that be the case, then l con-
graduate heem,' said the polite trades
man.
What do you suppose it is worth ? l
a'Oh, it is difficult to say said the
Frenchman, struggling his shoulders.
Won gentleman sinks Won price NOR for
him, anotter sinks
"Yes, hut what would you give if you
were to buy it? Would you give l,soO
francs ~
The jeweler did not reply for few
seconds. He popped his microscope once
more into his eye, held the ring up to the
light, examined the setting, and fell to
making elaborate calculations with PEN
ell on sheet of blotting paper.
do not often buy such large stones,
but will give you $500 francs for this
one" he finally said to the American.
'The Yankee did not reply, and the
Frenchman, assuming that his offer was
accepted, placed the ring on little ledge
behind him, and opened his desk for his
check-book
az Not so fast said Brother Jonathan
the diamonds not for sale
Two thousand six hundred francs
was the Frenchman's reply.
The American shook his head
Seven hundred; eight hundred
I" Nop
az Nine hundred three thousand francs
That is my last offer. Pause, | beg of
you, Monsieur, before you refuse it. 1t is
a large sum-three thousand francs, and
as if he were convinced that no one could
refuse such price, he put the stone once
more among his own treasures and again |
turned round for his check-book
"sThunder, ? exclaimed the Yankee
what do you take me for? tell you / |
can't and won't sell the ring. 1t was as
rood as gold to this British gentleman last !
hight, and it isn't mine TO sell any more.
3iye me the ring 4